Unicycle.



T. BEMIS, SR-

UNICYCLE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-2B. 19:5.

1,1 89,909. Patented July 4, 1916.

WITNESSES l/V l E IV 70/? THOMASBEMIS, $3., OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

UNICYCLE.

Application filed January 28,1915.

To all whom it may concern 7 Be it known that I, THOMAS BEMIS, Sn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Unicycle; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters refer to like parts.

The object of this invention is to provide children with a toy unicycle, which is simple in construction and operation and cheap enough for children to buy and use.

The chief feature of the invention consists in suspending from the top of a hoop or ring a frame, which travels on the top of the hoop or ring. Said frame is arranged so that the child can straddle it within the hoop or ring and propel it by running with his feet on the ground or pavement, and when it has acquired the desired speed, he can sit in the frame and elevate his feet from the ground or pavement and coast. Also small trailing wheels are provided to prevent the child from falling backward and to enable the child to lean backward in the frame, if he desires, after he sits down on the frame.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

In the drawings, Figure. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus with the parts in the usual position while the device is being used. and showing a boy therein by dotted lines, his legs in one position while running on the ground for propelling the device and his legs in another position while he is sitting in the device. Fig. 2 is the same showing the position of the parts when the trailers are running on the ground or pavement.

In the drawings there is shown a hoop or ring 10 which may be made of metal or other 7 material and preferably of a diameter greater than the height of the child for which it is intended. A frame is providedfor said hoop or ring consisting preferably of three parts, a suspension frame, trailer frame and saddle block. The suspension frame is formed, as shown herein, by a bar Speeifioationof Letters'Patent.

Serial No. 4,914.

bar 15 connects the two upper end portions 7 12 of the suspension frame and said frame is mountedon the hoop or ring so that one upper end of the frame will be to the front of the vertical diameter of the hoop or ring and the other end of the suspension frame at the rear of said vertical diameter, as shown. The saddle block 16 is secured upon the lowerv bent portion of the suspension frame so that the child can sit astride of said frame within the hoop or ring and upon said saddle block.

From the lower part of the suspension frame preferably a trailer frame 17 extends rearwardly and downwardly and isbifurcated and the bifurcated portions extend rearward beyond the hoop or ring and carry on their lower ends trailing rollers 18. In the form herein shown, this trailer frame consists of two bars secured at the upper end to saddle and suspension frame and in their lower ends there is a spacing rod and axle 19. The rollers 18 are on this axle. However, the invention is not limited to this construction of the trailer frame, as it may be any sort of frame carrying preferably two rollers at its lower end spaced laterally apart and connected at its upper end with the.

suspension frame so that the trailer frame will be tilted to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by a corresponding movement of the suspension frame.

The operation of the device is as follows: The boy stands astride the suspension frame and saddle with his feet on the ground and Patented July 1 1916.

the desired speed. While he is running his hands are holding the forward and rearward runs untll he acquires what he considers pelling the hoop or ring. After the desired speed is attained, theboy lifts his legs and sits down on the saddle 16 and coasts. During the period that the boy runs and while he is coasting usually, the trailer is ofi the ground or street. This is controlled by the boy changing the equilibrium of his body on the suspension frame. The rollers 13 are preferably made so as to be comparatively free from friction and, therefore, the suspension frame will hang, as shown. The trailer will prevent the child from tilting backward too far. And when the boy wishes the trailer to ride on the ground or street, he can lean backward somewhat, as shown in Fig. 2, and cause that result. That causes a corresponding tilting of the suspension frame and it willhelp stop the device. However,

the trailer is notan essential part and it is not intended to be used ordinarily when it is on the device, for the device is operated as a unicycle and not as a tricycle. The construction is not intended to be arranged to prevent the device from falling laterally asit is prevented by-the child putting out his leg to one side and preventing'the device from toppling over. While the hoop or ring is made preferably of metal, the suspension frame and trailer frame are made preferably of wood so that the device will be light. The rear arms of the trailer frame are spread apart considerably sothat they will not come in Contact with-the hoop or ring when the hoop or ring is not perpendicular when the boy is running.

The invention is not limited to the particular details of the construction as here shown as it can be modified in many particulars without departing from the spirit of this invention.

The-invention claimed is:

1. A toy including a hoop-like ring, and a frame suspended from the upper portion of said ring at points in front of and to the rear of the vertical diameter of the ring so said frame can swing'laterally in said ring, said frame arranged so that a child can straddle the same and propel. the device with his feet on'the ground.

2. A toy including a hoop-like ring, and a frame within said ring and suspended thereon by rollers adapted to rest on said ring at points in front of and to the rear of the vertical diameter of'the ring so said frame can swing laterally in said ring, and said frame arranged so that a child can straddle the lower part of the same and propel the device with his feet on the ground.

3. A toy including ahoop-like ring, a frame within said ring and suspended thereonby rollers adapted to rest on said ring at points in front of and to the rear of the verthe ground.

l. A toy including a hoop-like ring, a frame which 1s substantlally V-shape, and bearmg rollers on the upper ends of said frame adapted to suspend the frame in said ring at points to the front and rear of the vertical diameter of the ring so said frame can swing laterally in said ring.

5. A toy including a hoop-like ring, a

frame which is substantially V-shape, and

bearing rollers on'the upperends-of said frame adapted to suspend the frame insaid ring at I points to the front and -rear of the vertical diameter of the ring, the lower part of said frame extending toa point below the center of the ringsosaidframe cansw-ing laterally in said ring.

6. A toy including a hoop -like =ring,a frame which is substantiallyMshape, bearing rollers on the upper ends of said frame adapted to suspend'the frame in saidring at points-to the front and rear o'fth-evertical diameter of the ring sosaid frame can swing laterally insaid ring, and a bar above said ring and rigidly connecting the front and rear upper ends of said frame.

7. A toy including a hoop-like ring, a frame which is substantially V-shape,'bearing rollers on the upper ends of said frame adapted to suspend the frame in said'ring at points to the front and rear of the vertical diameter of the ring so saidframe can swing laterally in said ring, and a seat on the lower end of said frame arranged so that a child can stand or sit astride the same.

8. A toy including a 'hoop like ring, a frame which is substantially V-shape,'bear ing rollers on theupper ends of said frame adapted to suspend the frame on said ring at points to the front and rearof the vertical diameter of the ring, and rollers on the upper ends-of said frame inside the ring so said frame can swing laterallyin said ring.

9. A toy including a hoop-like ring, "a frame suspended from the upper portion of said ring at points in front of andto the rear of the vertical diameter of the ring, said frame arranged so that a child can straddle the same and propel the device with his feet on the ground, and a trailer frame -secured-to said suspension frame and extendingdownwardly and rearwardly therefrom so as to be held on the ground or above the ground, as desired, by the movement of said suspension frame.

10. A'toy including a hoop-like ring, a frame which is substantially -V-shape, rollers on the upper ends ofsai'dframe adapted to suspend the frame in said ring at points In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed to the front and rear of the vertical diamemy signature in the presence of the witnesses ter of the ring, a bifurcated trailer frame herein named.

secured to the lower portion of said. suspen- THOMAS BEMIS, SR. 5 sion frame and extending downwardly and Witnesses:

rearwardly beyond said ring, and rollers on J. H. WELLS,

the lower ends of said trailer frame. R. G. LOCKWOOD.

copies of this patent may be obtained tor five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of nunu Washington, D. C." 

